DOMINION "BISLEY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 6

DOMINION "BISLEY."

MEETING 00N0LUDED,

KING WINS CHAMPIONSHIP. : mmm the TEAMS MATCH. , [BY nXBOBAra.~BBEBS ASSOCIATION-] TRBNTHAM, Saturday. The King's prize meeting of 1919 at Trentbam is destined to become remarkable in the annals of New Zealand rifle cheating. It was the first meeting after the great war, the veterans of which enacted in play some service practices they had carried out under grim circumstances On oversea battlefields. It .was notable also in that R. J. King had practically won tho premiership of the year before, the final stage was fired, as only three men had a reasonable possibility of overhauling him, and then only if King should go to pieces, which was a most unlikely thing for such a tried shot to do. Out of 10 ex-champions competing at the meeting, five—namely, King, Halliday, Roots, Milroy, and liTino, were in the final 50, but, apart from King,, Halliday alone had a chance, and a very slender ono of recapturing the coveted honour. When the men assembled at the firing mound a typical Trentham beeze of uncertain strength from the rear-and left was blowing;, with the sun showing through passine cloud banks, and a thin yellow haze from (the smoke of bush fires on the neighbouring ranges. The leading 50 for the King's prize were well scattered along the 800 yds mound of the Sommerville range, at which the final test was fired, and expectant groups soon formed around them. King meant business from tho jump, ' opening with a five and continuing with three more fives, then a three, followed by three more bulls and ending with two : fours, a total of 46. King started with a lead of eight points over his nearest opponent, and rose from the mound with his advantage increased to 14. , The scorers of 4§ fired off for the rifle challenge cup awarded to the best scorer , in the King's Prize Match, and West won, . beating hie nearest man by 5—4, a , ] total.of 14, to 4-4-5, a total of 13. Not , a single "possible" was scored during the , whole meeting,. which is unique in the history of the Dominion Rifle • Association. Morgan, Loveday and Jarvis also had to fire off for third place, and the result was:—Jarvis 19, Loveday 18, and Morgan 16.

KING'S PRIZE MATCH. Following is the result of the King's Prize Match, this afternoon's scores being shop, together with the grand aggregate':- ' ■ Aggre, ; B. J. King, Opaki, Ballinger Belt, Gold Medal, Gold Badge, and £25: King's Prize score, 46 '~ .. 445 W. E West,- Blenheim, Silver Star and Badge and £20, 46 . . .. 431 N. B. Jarvis, Taradale, Silver Star and Badge and £15, 45 . . .. 430 EL Loveday, Ohura, Silver Star and - Badge and £12,39 .... ..430 ■ Tho following took D.R.A. Badges and £5:- '' .- • . ■ W. J. Morgan, Akarana, 39 .. ..430 P. 0. Hamilton, Wanganui, 46 .. 428 : Sergt. F. W. Clung, R.N.Z.A., 43 .. 427 S Elliott, Akarana, .41 ; ..' ..425 i Lieut. W. Hudson, P. and T., 44' .. 425 P. Morgan. Christchurch, 45 . . .. 425 H. G. Day, Nelson, 43 »■'.. ■' A .. 423 Pres. C. J. Nix, Featherston, 42 . . 423: The following took DJ&A. Badges and £2 ; B. H. Harris, Christchurch, 40 ~423 N. A. Wilton, Manriceville, 39 ~ 423 G. Halliday, Karori, 32 .. . « .. 422 A. C. Crossan, Wanganui, 43 .. .. 419 ■A. Govenloch, Linton, 32 . . ... 418 Lieut. H. .H. Donald, lliii, Ruahina < Regiment, 36 .v ..'.., .'. - ♦.418 EN. Mawley, Mastoxton, 41 . 418 Priss. J. G. Comes, 'Waihi, 37 > ,V.4CT* F. W. R. Kmnmer, Opaki, 45 ;\ 416 W. J. Mcllvride, Petone, 43 ;,.-, i.' 416; Gunner A. N. Duthie, N.Z.G.A., 42 . . 416 0. Hadfield,- Blenheim, 43 ~ ..416 J. Franklin,- Pctane, 37 *« 415 The following took £1:— $~. McNabb, Dannevirke, 44 . ,» t - j * i 414 Major A. J. Merrieles, 6th, Hauraki '■ ' Regiment, 46 . .'.. .. .. - 414 •Lieut.. A. S. Henderson, reserve of • < officers,- 39 ~ .... V.414 D» B. Mackersey, Ist W. 1.8., 44 .. 413 Pres. A. W. Cheal,,,Te Kuiti, 39-•.. 413 J. Steenson, Oamaru, 40 ~ .. 413 T. H. Carter, Nelson, 42, • ~ „ 413 D,-Roots,'Patea. 41 .'. .< v. 412 J. W. Milroy, Nelson, 41 ... ..412 W. J. Pavnter, Blenheim, 43 .. .. 412 The following are the positions of the last 15 men 'in, the match Major J. Searlc, Qam'ara. 39-412; »A. E. Woodland, Waihi, 41-4111 - Captain. J. Hi Ross, Wellington, 42-410,\ Captain B. M. Arvine, Nelson. 41-410;. G. T. Gardiner, Taumarunui, 37—408; R. Dnthie, Christ church, 36-408; Serjeant R. Hester, IT Company Engineers, 1 38-407; Sergeantr Major A. G. Lowe," Auckland, 35-406; G. P., Harrison, Hawera, 37-405; E. F. Sandford, Christchurch, 33—405; J. Browne, , Waihi,.' 29-408; J. Bryden, Kaiapoi, 32—401; A. Weir, Petone, 31— 401; H. R.Keene, Dargaville,.3l-399; H. Reynolds, Christchurch, 30-398.

CHAMPION TEAMS MATCH. Pi?e men at seven shots at 300, 500, and 600 yds. Blenheim (H. Cooke, W. H. West, Hadfield, J. McKay, J. W. Poynton), district challenge shield and £10 ... 437 Old Navak (Wellington), £10 - - 436 iChristchurch, £8 " .. *. k . 435 Nelson, £6 .. .. ~ ». 433 Karon, £5.. .. « ~ ». 427 Hawera, £3 .. ,< ».■ «i. 426 Linton, £3 -.... .. .. .. 425 Wanganui was counted out. CONSOLATION MATCH. Ten shots at 500 yds range.

Sargt. G. Carey (Trentham), £3 ... 47!' W. Powell (Akaranah £2- 10s ... 47 It. Franklin (Napier), £2 ... ... 47 Cpl. H. McGill (Trentham), £2 ... 46 W. Rains (Dunedin), £1 10s ... 45, C. Potts (15th Mtd. Rifles), £1 105... 45 j .Tk Colonial Ammunition Company's silver shield,' for rifle club teams of five men, all'scores in the belt series to count, was won by Opaki, with 1865 points, Karori No. 1 being runners-up- with 1835, and Akarana third with 1826.. The grand aggregate gold medal was won by W. J. Morgan, 569; R. J. King being runner-up with 562. THE PRIZE-IIVIHG. • IMPORTANCE OP SHOOTING. [DI TELEGRAPH.—PEES! ASSOCIATION.] TRENTHAM, Saturday. There was a fair attendance of the' general public at the prize-giving ceremony held immediately after the conclusion of the shooting. The champion, Rifleman King, as is customary, was " chaired " from the 800 yds mound to the rotunda. Among, those present were Sir James Allen, General Robin, Colonel C. M. Gibbon and Colonel Collins, chief executive officer. Speaking of the national importance of rifle shooting, Colonel Collins said he hoped arrangements would be made in the Dominion for annual group and district championship meetings. Referring to the service rifle used at the meetin" ha said the competitors had put up with it, but'they hoped 'future that the best possible weapon might be secured. Ho also drew the.attention.of Sir James Allen to the need for an increase in the ammunition issue over the present 150 rounds supplied he also urged that the additional issue- should be at a reduced price. Sir James Allen said he believed rifle shooting should be encouraged, not only to produce good, shots, but also ; because he observed that riflemen to .Be, successful had to keep themselves fit/' He was,not in a position to say whether the rifle used at the. meeting was the best that could be produced, but* if notj lie hoped the Imperial authorities would remedy ,any defects. • .General Robin presented Rifleman King with-the. rifle he had used throughout th& I mealing. ' . "'" ' . ' ,